Production of potassium formate from potassium sulfate

Abstract

A method for making water-soluble potassium formate substantially free of water-insoluble salts selectively and in high yield at temperatures at or below about 100° C., includes contacting potassium sulfate, potassium carbonate or a mixture of potassium and sodium carbonate and potassium and sodium sulfate with calcium formate, forming water-soluble potassium formate and water-insoluble calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, or mixtures thereof, thus permitting recovery of substantially potassium-free calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate or both, and substantially calcium sulfate-free calcium carbonate-free potassium formate from the aqueous media.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising contacting, in aqueous media at a pressure in the range of about 1.0 to about 3 atmospheres and at a temperature of not more than about 100° C., spent seed from an MHD reactor including potassium sulfate with calcium formate to form water-soluble potassium formate and water-insoluble calcium sulfate, separating said calcium sulfate, substantially free of potassium, from said aqueous media; and feeding the aqueous, water-soluble potassium formate to an MHD reactor as a potassium source. 
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the reaction temperature is in the range of about 20° C., to about 80° C. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous media also includes sodium sulfate and potassium and sodium carbonates, said contacting produces water-insoluble calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate, and said separating step also removes calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate, substantially free of potassium, from said aqueous media. 
     
     
       4. A method comprising contacting, in aqueous media at a temperature of not more than about 100° C., spent seed from an MHD reactor including a compound selected from the group consisting of potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate and mixtures thereof with calcium formate to form water-soluble potassium formate and sodium formate and water-insoluble calcium salts, recovering said water-soluble potassium and sodium formates substantially free of calcium salts, recovering calcium salts substantially free of potassium from said aqueous media, and feeding said potassium and sodium formates to an MHD reactor as a potassium source.